


The Nightmare

by goblindesert



Series: Inquisitor Des Lavellan [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Post Trespasser
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-06
Updated: 2016-07-06
Packaged: 2018-07-21 22:13:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7407142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goblindesert/pseuds/goblindesert
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Des wakes from a nightmare about Solas, Thom comoforts her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Nightmare

Thunder crashed outside and heavy rain pelted against the protesting wooden shingles of a small log cabin, that sat nestled away amongst the trees of the forest. The storm had been raging all night and showed no signs of stopping. Inside, Des shifted uncomfortably in bed, her sleep as disturbed as the night sky outside. A small noise escaped her throat and she jerked suddenly, nudging Thom awake next to her.

“Des, are you alright?” He muttered softly, hoping not to wake her in case he had mistaken a casual movement for something more. It was not the first time he’d been woken by her troubled sleep, and just as she was always there for him whenever he woke from his own nightmares, he was there for her. They found comfort in each others arms.  

Des sat up abruptly on the bed and reached her right arm out in the darkness, fingers sprawled and reaching for something that wasn’t there. Another burst of lightning set the room aglow for a moment and through tired eyes, Thom saw Des sitting up, with a pained expression on her face, grabbing at the air. A sob escaped her lips and he shot to her side, all thoughts of sleep leaving him immediately. He gently placed one hand at the small of her back and the other on her left arm that was no longer wholly there.  
  
“Come back!” shouted Des. She was still asleep and Thom knew any attempts to talk to her would be pointless. All he could do was hold his love and stroke her. He wished he could do more to help. She shook under his touch and pained noises escaped her throat, growing louder and louder until suddenly her eyes flew open and she was screaming. Thunder boomed outside and still her screams could be heard, the noise pierced through the night like a banshee’s wail.

Then, as suddenly as it began, it stopped and Des was awake, shaking and sobbing deeply. She tried to suck air into her lungs through every wounded howl.

“I’m here, love, I’m here. Deslyn, it’s me, Thom,” He cooed and stroked her hair. “You’re safe, you are here in our bed, with me. You are safe, just breathe,” He kissed her back and let her fall into his chest and cry there for some time before moving away to wipe her eyes. She sniffled and moved her hand to Thom’s face in the darkness. 

“Oh, my love, It was awful,” She closed her eyes tightly and shook her head, trying to dislodge the images that remained seared into her mind.

He pulled her close to him again, “Do you want to talk about it?” His deep voice vibrated through her body and warmed her a little. he kissed her softly on the forehead and let her sit in silence for a moment before she replied.

“Yes…” She finally whispered, “It’s stupid though, the nightmare was the way it always is, except for the ending… The ending of the dream was different this time, it really got to me. I’m not sure why.” Des let a small flame erupt from her fingertips and she pulled away from Thom’s embrace for a moment to light the lantern that sat beside their bed. She leaned back into his chest and stared up into his face, drinking in his details in the candlelight. She often found that was enough to calm her and was upset when she realised it did nothing to soothe her nerves now. Des looked away from him, trying to hide the worry that plagued her face.

“My love, nothing you say or think is ever stupid… Will you tell me what happened?” He asked quietly. She took a deep breath and looked up into his searching eyes.

“Well…The dream was the way it always is, a memory playing over and over; the conversation with Solas, the betrayal…and… him taking my arm-” Des stared down at the space where her arm once was for a moment before continuing, “-Then it all disappeared and I was somewhere new. I was in the fade…or at least it felt like the fade. I was naked and alone, older than I am now-” She sniffed and let a tear fall down her cheek, which Thom brushed away lightly, “-I wore a crown made from Prophet’s Laurel and my left arm was back, but it was transparent. Not really there at all, and it was glowing with a pulsing green energy, it reminded me of the mark. My body was wrapped in rope… Tied to my back was the head of a wolf…the Dread Wolf-” She was crying harder now and all Thom could do was hold her tight. She buried her face into his skin and muttered half to him and half to herself, “-It felt like a premonition…there was something about it all, it was like a message…a kind of warning. I worry what this means, I want so badly to redeem our friend and to make him see reason, but I feel this dream is threatening a different outcome.” They both remained silent, holding each other and listened to the storm outside.

Finally Thom pulled away from their embrace and looked intently at Des, “I hope you’re wrong, but if you’re not. I will be there, no matter what happens. I’ll be there til the bitter end, with you. I won’t let anything happen to you.” the fierce edge to his voice confirmed the promise.

' _I’d die before I let anyone hurt you again,’_ he thought to himself before kissing her. Des hated it when he spoke of self sacrifice in her favour and he’d convinced her he had broken the habit long ago, she didn’t need to know what went on in his head though. Thom laid her down next to him. “Try to get some sleep my lady. I’ll be here, watching over you.”

 


End file.
